Gabapentin reduces stress and does not affect ocular parameters in clinically normal cats.

Objective: To describe the effects of gabapentin on ocular and behavioral parameters following oral administration in healthy cats.

Materials And Methods: Masked, placebo-controlled, randomized crossover-design study. Ten young, healthy cats were scheduled for two veterinary visits 7 days apart and randomly assigned to receive a compounded capsule containing 100 mg of gabapentin or placebo (100 mg lactose powder) at the first visit and the opposite treatment at the second visit. Respiratory rate, heart rate, stress score, sedation score, compliance score, horizontal pupil diameter, intraocular pressure, and Schirmer tear test-1 were measured prior to and 1.5, 3, and 6 h following capsule administration. Stress score, sedation score, and compliance score were assigned based on established behavioral scales. Results of the two treatments were statistically compared with a p-value <0.05 considered significant.

Results: Respiratory rate was significantly reduced at 1.5 (p = 0.049) and 3 (p = 0.03) hours following gabapentin administration. Stress score was significantly reduced at 1.5 (p = 0.01) hours following gabapentin administration. Sedation score was significantly increased at 1.5 (p = 0.015) and 3 (p = 0.03) hours following gabapentin administration. Gabapentin had no significant effect on heart rate, compliance score, or ocular values measured in this study.

Conclusions: Gabapentin reduces stress and increases sedation at 1.5 h after treatment, with no significant effect on horizontal pupil diameter, intraocular pressure or Schirmer tear test-1 results.